WHO backs Tanzania’s response to MVD outbreak

In the wake of suspected cases of viral haemorrhagic fever being reported in Tanzania, the World Health Organization (WHO) has intensified its support for the Tanzanian government. A team of experts was dispatched by the national health authorities to the Kagera region in the north-west of the country where the suspected cases were reported. According to Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa, the WHO is mobilizing technical expertise and logistical supplies to ensure a rapid and effective response. In March 2023, Tanzania reported the first outbreak of Marburg virus disease (MVD) in the Kagera region, which was declared over in less than two months thanks to strong measures. MVD is genetically related to the virus that causes Ebola, and is an haemorrhagic fever with a high degree of virulence. Currently, there is no approved treatment or vaccine for the effective management or prevention of MVD, although several promising potential medical countermeasures are currently undergoing clinical trials. Previous outbreaks and sporadic cases of MVD have been reported in several African countries including Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Ghana, Kenya, Equatorial Guinea, Rwanda, South Africa and Uganda.